Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[galanie]

THIS! This is what I've been preaching for years!  If you truly want birds that are hardy to "your climate", you cannot then take said birds to your climate and supplement them with heat, fans, misters, Pampers, Christmas lights or any other geegaws.  A chicken will be a chicken in just about any climate and those who can't cut it, get cut from the roster or die.  What you will have left are the true, cold hardy or heat hardy chickens and it hasn't got much to do with comb size at that point. 

This is where I'm gong to jump off the truck. I have Orpingtons in one of the hottest places on earth. Ok, not really, but last Summer was so hot and dry it was considered the Worst Drought In Texas History. Not "really bad" or Gee Horrible but the worst in History. And Orpingtons are supposedly cold weather animals. Dang me for having such a breed here of all places! What an idiot!!!!

During that drought and 105-110 degree days for 3 months straight, which we've never suffered here before, with virtually no rainfall for 6 months, which again we've never experienced before, I lost not one bird. None. Nada. None at all. Zero.

Meantime, many folks with the "right" breed that could "take the heat" lost .. well, a lot. I had no fans running, no misters (OMG that would have killed them!). What did I have? I big shade tree with a shallow tray of water under it. And I ran the hose just enough to soak in a bit around it. I lost almost 1/2 acre of St. Augustine grass and heritage roses that my mother, a Consulting Rosarian, Lifetime Judge, Master Gardener, God only knows what other honors, and otherwise all around well respected expert on those, planted before she died 12 years ago. I lost a lot. I refused to lose my two large oaks or my chickens. So I sacrificed the roses mother planted and the grass and saved the two large oaks and my birds. And still spent over $100 a month on water. Yet that's all I did.

And folks with the "right" breeds and the "right" husbandry? Lost dozens and dozens.You have to prepare to provide for your climate! You can't just figure "oh well they can't take it" always.

During this time I had a barred rock, some easter eggers, and sex links. They suffered more than the Orpingtons. I kid you not. Even now, the easter eggers will fan out their wings when it's only 70 and the Orps are laughing at them. Of the group, the hatchery Barred Rocks suffered first and most in the heat. Guess which I no longer have? yep. those rocks.

 

[ronott1]

Quote:
It's great to hear that your chickens made it through the heat. It is also great that your mother prepared the place for you years ago!

Here in Northern CA, we never have rain in the Summer. We have a Mediterranean climate, so six months dry is every summer. We also get over 105 for 20 to 30 days each summer.

All of my breeds were fine except the Marans and yes, I do not have them any more. I also do not have Cream Legbars any more. I now have heat hardy EO Basque(I did nothing for them) and Penedesencas. The others will fade out over time. Until then I give them at least a mister.

 

[galanie]

Around here, a mister would kill them. It's already so humid in the summer that you'll be covered in sweat just standing under a shade tree not moving. After having come out from the AC. I'm not kidding. A mister? Really? In a high humidity climate? Nope. Not going to do a thing but help grow mold and all sorts of other nasty slimy things.

Another thing about a mister is that it feels great to mammals but not necessarily to chickens. They don't sweat. They are also covered with feathers that keep the moisture from getting on the skin directly, so even if they did sweat, it wouldn't cool them the way it does mammals (humans). You can soak them with a spray bottle or something and it does cool them (so long as there's air moving), but misters don't' work that way. I won't use one. I'd rather spray my birds down with the hose than risk the mud and mire and slime from a mister. YMMV. "Your Mileage May Vary" - in other words, if your climate and circumstances are different, maybe that does work well.

 

[ronott1]

Around here, a mister would kill them. It's already so humid in the summer that you'll be covered in sweat just standing under a shade tree not moving. After having come out from the AC. I'm not kidding. A mister? Really? In a high humidity climate? Nope. Not going to do a thing but help grow mold and all sorts of other nasty slimy things.

Another thing about a mister is that it feels great to mammals but not necessarily to chickens. They don't sweat. They are also covered with feathers that keep the moisture from getting on the skin directly, so even if they did sweat, it wouldn't cool them the way it does mammals (humans). You can soak them with a spray bottle or something and it does cool them, but misters don't' work that way. I won't use one. I'd rather spray my birds down with the hose than risk the mud and mire and slime from a mister. YMMV. "You're Mileage May Vary" - in other words, if your climate and circumstances are different, maybe that does work well.

That is a good point!

It is not humid here in the summer, so misters work very nicely. It drops the temperature 10 degrees and I have personally observed it making a very big difference.

EEs are bad in the heat, but you should see the Black Copper Marans!

 

[Pullet Surprise]

I about gave myself a heat stroke running frozen water bottles out to them this summer....it did get to a heat index of 114 a few days, not normal for here. I had only had them for a few months and was afraid of killing them.....this year will be different. they just looked so miserable. i swear I thought the eggs would be par-boiled at least. Towards the end of the summer it dawned on me that the frozen watermelon I gave them did them the most good, only two of the girls ever figured out how to stand on the frozen water bottles, everyone else looked at me like I was crazy. I will not do that again.

 

[NikkiMiChickie]

Confession: I am a nerd. A book worm nerd, as a matter of fact I'm even a card carrying (not really) founder of a local book club that we lovingly refer to as "The Book Snobs" bc we are so particular about our book choices. We meet on Tuesdays - tonight - to discuss our current book.

My book club always knows when this thread is going strong.

How? Because I'm waaaaaaay behind on my reading!! Of books, that is. I'm completely caught up here

So my story begins in the suburbs of Ohio, and finds me currently on a small (10 acre) horse farm in WV. My roots are here in WV, and both sets of maternal grandparents were born & raised on farms. Like many, they got married and got out. Literally! Their wedding was early afternoon, and by that evening they were pulling into the booming factory town of Canton, Ohio. They raised 3 kids in that town, my Mom raised me on the edge of it in the burbs.

We had a farm hidden n the back of a nearby neighborhood. In the summer, I can remember talking my friends into walking the nearly 2 miles with a bag or carrots and apples to feed the horses and other critters they kept. I spent many summer weeks in the hills of WV with my great grandmothers.

I married a man from the same small WV coal mining town that my grandparents were born and raised - and then left for Ohio - and I moved right back. Wonder if it bothered them that they'd worked so hard to get out of these hills and create a better life for their children, and I up and move back? I'll have to ask granny, she's still around

We've worked our butts off to achieve our dream: a horse farm, complete with 14 stalls and an indoor riding arena. We found out early that our goal to board horses was not going to work out. i believe a horse should be free, as nature intended. Not cooped up in a stall 12 hours a day (or more) and fed buckets of mollasses-laden "food" (candy!). And then people expect to come out and ride their stallion and he will act a complete gentleman. Try taking a kid to an antique shop after hopping them up on Mountain Dew and see how long before he knocks something Over. We threw all 8 former boarders out within 3 months of moving in and our horses have been out to pasture (with a nice run in shed) ever since. Catch one of those boys after a year off and I'll bet ya a dollar he won't step out of line. They're happy. They're free. They live as nature intended and eat as nature intended them to.

I've told you all that because I've transferred my "let horses be horses" philosophy to chickens (and tomatoes, but that's another story... Lets just say I prefer a tomato jungle to a spindly staked tomato plant, lol) Took me a few years to talk DH into chickens. And yes, my main purpose for them was eggs, with the added bonus of garden fertilizer. I garden organically (although not certified or anything - just for us), and I shop organically. Compared to $4/dozen for the eggs I used to buy, I thought having chickens would save me a buck in the long run. Maybe, maybe not. In this, our first year of chickens, we have had some heartache (stupid dog got two POL pullets - but he's trained now, thankyoushockcollar), one seemingly egg bound and another dead off the roost. We have necropsied. Didn't know exactly what we were looking for, but used our friend google for healthy pics and came to some conclusions our own. I've also had a complete 180 perspective change on flock management. It is only the OT wisdom I have to thank for that, as my community does not harbor many chicken keepers, especially ones with the knowledge Al, Walt, Fred & Bee possess. And here I get all that knowledge rolled into one thread!

Next step: meaties. I plan to butcher on my own, but have found a small processing facility for back up if this city girl wimps out. I don't think I will though. I'm also planning to do a Bee cull in late March/early April. I have farm girl roots, even if I wasn't raised on a farm, and I'll reach deep down into them to provide a swift death to those who will be chosen to provide more than eggs and entertainment for me. I'll also be looking for a Few Good Hens & a Roo come spring to begin my own DP flock. Leaning towards BRs, but not sure yet

As always, thanks a million!

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
Nicky, let me know when you are going to process those meaties and I'll motor up there~God willin' and the creek don't rise~to help you. I could give you some hands on tips and help you with the deed, if you like.

 

[NikkiMiChickie]

Nicky, let me know when you are going to process those meaties and I'll motor up there~God willin' and the creek don't rise~to help you.  I could give you some hands on tips and help you with the deed, if you like. 

 

If I like? Oh Bee, I would be honored!! I'm only 2 miles off route 50, so it's not difficult to find. I'll let you know, and I'll buy your fuel and put you up for the night if you'd like. What month would be best - if there is a best - for butchering? I guess logic tells me that July heat may not be the most comfortable, and may lead to other problems as well with getting the meat cooled?

Thank you so much for the offer!!!!!

 

[Beekissed]

No problem..it'd be fun! I'd get those chicks in March and plan to butcher then in June, before the bugs and heat get too bad. I'll bring tables if you need them, got a few sharp knives and can have some bleach jug killing cones if you want them, by then. Going to use fermented feed?

I have family over in Petersburg and one in Harrisonburg VA, that I can stay with in a pinch and if I go that far, will probably do the bounce on over to see my boy(s).

 

[delisha]

BTW Delisha, I meant to tell you that the picture you posted of the '$300 bird' was just GORGEOUS, so is her 'intended'

I had so many pages to read to catch up, I forgot I wanted to say something to you about her!

Thank you..I love her too..she is going to be something else, she comes from good lines in England. I purchased her from a very reputable import specialist. She is David Pownall lines. It is way to much money for chickens, but, if you want imported chickens, it is a pretty big investment. Marc Sacre's is one of the Top import experts in the States. I feel extremely confident with my Trio of birds and the generous gift from my DH.


This is the blue hen.

The Blue cockerel is Cookoo linked and here is my cockerel's sire

He is massive and towers over the beautiful red cockerel